


Little Red Willow Hood

by LongPogy (Tsudzura)



Category: Don't Starve (Video Game)
Genre: Dark Fantasy, Dark Romance, F/M, Maxwell is an evil shit, Red Riding Hood! AU, Slight mentions of OCs, They're really just random villagers, Werewolves
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-17
Updated: 2018-04-17
Packaged: 2019-04-24 02:45:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,806
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14346351
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tsudzura/pseuds/LongPogy
Summary: Willow lives content as an orphan under Wickerbottom's care and one day she is told to deliver a basket of goodies to an old friend of the orphanage known as Maxwell. With basket, red cape and her lighter she sets off into the forest. She is then accosted by a strange young man named Wilson who offers to escort her deeper in the forest. Little does she realize the true dangers of the forest were closer than she thought.





	Little Red Willow Hood

_ "Just a little tighter, through the loop..." _

A girl in a plain brown shirt and ruddy pants was sitting in a grassy field, she appeared to be fiddling with some nearby grass sprigs, clover stems and sticks. Thin fingers scrambled around, as they attempted to weave the fibrous material, but it only seemed to loosen and fall apart. Nevertheless, she continued her work in quiet frustration.

"Why won't it-? Ah darn it!" For what seemed like the hundredth time, her project  once again fell apart along with her resolve to fix it. Perhaps there wasn't enough twigs? Or maybe the grass and stems weren't strong enough to tie them together?

"Willow! Whatcha doing over there?" A voice cheerfully chirped out to her.

The girl that was called Willow turned around to find another girl in a dull green dress excitedly running towards her waving her hand. Willow immediately ripped up what remained of her woven grass then shoved away any remaining grass sprigs and twigs in the field. 

"Nothing at all! If anything, how did you find me Wendy? I'm sure that it's still time for your chores to be done." Willow then discretely wiped small specks of dirty on her fingers and arms, secretly admiring how quickly she hid her evidence. Wendy arrived with flushed cheeks, slightly panting as well as a pout that marred her otherwise bright expression. Before speaking, her head bowed low to catch her breath.

"Hey, that's not nice! I saw you do something here. You were crouched down and had this angry look on your face." Wendy's arms were tightly crossed. 

"Don't be silly. I wouldn't lie to you."

"Yes you did! You're probably trying to make something to get your metal thingy back!" A small smirk crept on Wendy's face when she saw Willow's calm demeanor crumble.

"Oh alright, fine! But what do you expect me to do? I didn't know if you were going to tell on me, like Wesley did." With the cat out of the bag, Willow bent down and slowly recovered some materials that still looked usable. Wendy also bent down and helped her.

"I'm not a tattletale like Wes, you dummy. We're friends, remember?" A bright smile returned to Wendy's face, as Willow raised her head up, returning the smile. Willow gratefully accepted the remaining recovered twigs and shoved them in her dress pocket. The sky above them, slowly began to darken and a couple of crows cawed in the distance.

"It's getting late, I think we should head back before we don't get supper." Willow offered her hand out to Wendy who quickly grabbed it and started to walk back. Once they were completely off from the grass field, more trees were visible and they found the too-familiar cobblestone path that never failed to lead them back. The smooth clicking of their shoes treading on the path filled the air along with the soft swishing of the tree leaves in the wind.

"So how were you going to get your metal thingy back?”  The younger girl’s eyes now grew bigger in curiosity. 

“I couldn’t find the key to the highest cupboard, so I thought I could make something to pick the lock” Willow’s frown deepened as she recalled her past attempts of finding the possible key. She overheard some rumors it might be under a bed. Several days passed when she had scrutinized every bed to find...nothing. Willow admitted that looking back, it was foolish to expect that the key to the cupboard containing many confiscating items would merely be under a bed.

She was so close to making some lock picking thing too! If only the darn string and flower stems could hold the twigs together.

A couple minutes later, and the two found themselves face-to-face with their home. Roan bricks held the entire structure together with a lofty wooden shingle roof. The house itself surely must have been through several years of the worst and best weathers while still standing firm. It was the town’s local orphanage.

 

* * *

 

As it so happened, Willow and Wendy were nearly late for the much anticipated supper. With such fun idle talk that accosted their journey, they didn’t notice the sun setting further. So they quickly rushed inside while quietly opening and closing the door on their way in. Last time that they arrived late to the dining room, both girls were sent to bed without a single bite to eat. Only the lonesome rumble of their bellies kept them company that night.

Willow motioned a “wait-here” sign, she had confidence that she could stealthily check to see if anyone was at the table. She carefully tiptoed through the hallway and slightly arched her head and peeked in the room. 

Thankfully, the long dining table was empty, except for the uniform plates and eating utensils around. She released a small breath of relief and motioned her friend to sneak in.

“We’re so lucky that we got in here on time,” Wendy promptly remarked. The two found their respective seats, right across from each other, and waited for the other children to pile in.

In no time at all, several streamlined while pushing and shoving to get to their seats. 

Dinner was quietly served out by an elderly woman with glasses that precariously hung from her nose. The actual meal comprised of a watery porridge with a couple of beans. While the food itself wasn’t anything too luxurious if not satisfying to the palate, the children eagerly slurped every bit. Perhaps the prolonged hunger created a certain flavor that could make any food delectable.

Yet the event was anything but delicate. As soon as the woman caregiver placed down the bowl with the remaining porridge,a straggle of arms were constantly entwined as they shoved for seconds. Despite the chorus of loud slurps and small squabbling, it seems that the caregiver was perfectly content by going to the next room and reading a book.

Things were going as routinely as ever, everyone finished their meal and made a neat line to the bathroom sink to clean themselves up. That was until…

“Willow! I’d like to speak with you.” The command was concise but still held the cold tone.

A sea of smirks soon fell on a flushed Willow. What on earth?! There was no way anyone but Wendy could’ve found out about her endeavors this morning. Was she still being punished for last time? Or maybe she actually was caught in sneaking into the dining room?

While scraping her remaining dignity, she ignored the snickers and curious stares and walked over to the office next to the dining room. The woman in question, was sitting in the main chair and facing away.

“I’m here Ms. Wickerbottom,” Willow attempted her most polite posture by keeping her arms behind her back and tried her hardest to maintain eye contact.

“Ah yes, Willow so good of you to join me. I have a very important task for you to complete.” Wickerbottom stood up and placed her book on the shelf behind her.

Willow blinked a couple times. This definitely wasn’t what she expected. Maybe this task was going to be an endless list of chores?

“One of our biggest contributors of this orphanage, Maxwell, has fallen terribly sick. So I’m instructing you to take this basket of medicine and other foods to their house in the deep woods. I’d do it myself but I’m expecting a large package tomorrow that I must be present for.”

Despite that she couldn’t quite understand who this “contributor” would be, Willow still couldn’t quite believe her ears. What started out as a possible punishment was actually just an errand. Well, it would eat up more time coming up with ways to get her lighter back. Wait! Couldn’t the key be somewhere in this room? Maybe she could play along.

“I will absolutely do it, Ms. Wickerbottom!” Willow tried not to smile too widely. 

“Good girl, I believe I shall retire early this evening”. With that, Ms. Wickerbottom left the office and left the door open.

Willow quickly scoured the office, looking under the desk and opening all the drawers that thankfully weren’t locked. 

“Now if I were a wrinkly old book lady, where would I hide my keys?” She muttered to herself.

Perhaps within the bookcase? Willow shuddered to think what actual punishment lay in wait if the books were found tampered with. So, she memorized each placement of the books as she carefully took one out. 

As luck would have it, when she slipped a book titled “Caring and Keeping of Keys”, a small silver key was attached to the bookmark. 

_Hah! Take that you silly old book lady!_ Willow promptly returned the books back and scurried back out of the office. 

 

* * *

“Now remember, don’t stay out there too late! Especially don’t go wandering off or you’ll get lost and no one will be able to find you!”

“Yes, yes I know! You told me so many times!” Even if it was thanks to this errand that Willow found the key, she failed to remember how much of a nagger Wickerbottom could be. 

“Don’t use that tone at me! I’m only saying this so that you return safe and sound,” Wickerbottom continued with the list of dangerous animals, poisonous plants and the like.

“You have your basket don’t you? Ah, yes good good. Now one more thing” The old caregiver went back in her office and produced a lovely red cape with a hood.

Willow was awestruck. Never did she received such a beautiful piece of clothing! Much less in her favorite color, red!

“The woodcutter told me that the weather would be fine, but you can never be too sure if it gets chilly there.” The bookworm stretched out and flexed her fingers, cleary weary from the stress it took while knitting the cape.

The girl eagerly put it on, and imagining how pretty it must look since there weren’t any nearby mirrors. With such a kind considerate gesture of knitting a beautiful thing as this, Willow couldn’t help but feel a bit bad for snooping around Ms. Wickerbottom’s office the other day.

“Well, I’m off!” She took the basket and gave a polite wave then headed out to the outside woods.

“Don’t forget to stay on the path!” Wickerbottom urged.

“I will! I will!”

As soon as the orphanage was out of site, Willow finally relaxed and smirked. She did a quick scan over her shoulder to make sure that no one else was looking and drew out her lighter from her pocket.

“Yes! I’m so glad I got it back!” She gleefully, flickered it on and stared at the tiny flame dreamily.

Still, she had a errand to do. She reluctantly extinguished the flame and headed towards the forest.

**Author's Note:**

> First Don't Starve fanfiction, please be gentle ;w; The current title feels kinda iffy to me, so I might change it later, maybe not.
> 
> Anyway! For the sake of this story, let's assume that Willow is the oldest of the orphans (maybe around 12-15?) so this doesn't get too creepy.


End file.
